Hiking alone

Reminds me of the now old George Thorogood song modified for this thread ..

I hike alone, yeah
With nobody else
I hike alone, yeah
With nobody else
Yeah, you know when I hike alone
I prefer to be by myself

The original ‘80s video ..

I don't see how there can be a single answer on this topic. I backpack both with others and solo, and for myself I don't take bigger risks either way -- I've learned that pain hurts, and death is probably worse, so I try to be prudent and cautious always. If anything, being out with those with more experience could lead me into situations I didn't realize were as risky as they are, because my hiking partners are saying, "Oh, come on, this is easy." But known risks I try to set prudent limits -- I really don't need a selfie hanging off a cliff.

And it's not as though I'm really wanting to take those risks and just have to find a way to restrain myself, it's my general comfort level and appreciation for the survival instinct.


But as others have said, stuff happens. I do love going up high, and all it takes sometimes is a loose rock, a root or hole, getting a little dizzy, snapping a trekking pole, letting your mind wander at the wrong split-second, startling wildlife, something bad you ate, running out of water, etc. And you could argue that hiking with others increases these risks -- that's twice as many foot-plants per mile, twice the chance for someone to get sick, twice as many ankles to snap, twice the ground space a widowmaker needs to fall in to earn its name. So I don't see hiking with more people as necessarily safer.

The safety of hiking with others depends on who that is. Huge difference if I go out with three friends who have far more experience backpacking and we're going someplace they have been many times but I haven't vs. going out with one inexperienced friend who is totally relying on me to get them out and back safely. It sounds great to say if there are two people and one gets hurt the other can go for help, but is that really the case? In a situation where I'm out with someone inexperienced, if they get hurt would they really let me leave them alone, and could I bring myself to do it? Or possibly even worse, if I get hurt would I send that person to get help with a high chance of them getting lost or hurt on their now solo trek? And if they make it to civilization and get help, will they know how to get back to where I am?

As much as I dislike relying on electronics, I think the best answer for safety is a PLB or satellite communicator. No one has to leave and incur further risk, no fraught decisions under high stress among only-bad options. True that you can be knocked unconscious or stuck in a deep canyon or other circumstance where you might not be able to hit the SOS button or the signal may not go through, but to me it still represents the best first option to consider. Each situation is unique so there isn't a blanket answer, but that is my default.

So generally if there must be an answer to the topic I would say to establish your own comfort level about risk and safety and stick to it whether you are solo or with others.

This came into my news feed today.

I have to warn you that there is a pretty disturbing picture. The overall story and that this guy survived is almost unbelievable.

www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-adventure/climbing/free-solo-climber-fall-survivor/

FWIW, if I were worried about a creep sneaking up on me (which I do not worry about at all--I don;t see a lot of other people on most of my BPing trips), it would be much more likely to happen when I'm with a partner, because we might be talking.

Whereas, when solo, one is much more attuned to the sounds in the environment. The creep would have to be very stealthy.

The only place I've had creeps sneak into my camp was in Tennessee, camped on the Big South Fork, I didn't go to any trouble to make them unwelcome, but they left quickly enough. As for hiking alone, it is as natural as swimming 'nekid', I don't do it all the time, but it is special. ;-)

Being a ham I am curious about what kind of radio?

I bring a standard two-way radio that I put on scan, but is parked on channel 9, 11. It is often the channel used by SAR in our area. I have helped a few lost skiers/hikers with it in the past.